1DIST(1)                     General Commands Manual                    DIST(1)
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NAME

6       dist - distribute an nmh message to additional addresses
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SYNOPSIS

9       dist [-help] [-version] [+folder] [msg] [-form formfile] [-annotate |
10            -noannotate] [-inplace | -noinplace] [-draftfolder +folder]
11            [-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit]
12            [-width columns] [-from address] [-to address] [-cc address] [-fcc
13            +folder] [-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc] [-atfile] [-noat‐
14            file]
15

DESCRIPTION

17       dist is similar to forw.  It prepares the specified message for  redis‐
18       tribution  to  addresses  that  (presumably)  are  not  on the original
19       address list.
20
21       The default message form contains the following elements:
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23            Resent-From: {from switch} or <Local-Mailbox> or <username@hostname>
24            Resent-To: {to switch} or blank
25            Resent-cc: {cc switch} or blank
26            Resent-fcc: {fcc switch} or blank
27
28       If a file named “distcomps” exists in the user's nmh directory, it will
29       be  used  instead  of  this default form.  You may specify an alternate
30       forms file with the switch -form formfile.  Forms are processed via the
31       nmh template system; see mh-format(5) for details.  Components from the
32       redistributed message are available as standard  component  escapes  in
33       the forms file.
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35       In  addition to the standard mh-format(5) escapes, the following compo‐
36       nent escapes are also supported:
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38            Escape    Returns   Description
39            fcc       string    Any folders specified with `-fcc folder'
40            nmh-from  string    Addresses specified with `-from address'
41            nmh-to    string    Addresses specified with `-to address'
42            nmh-cc    string    Addresses specified with `-cc address'
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44       See the forw(1) man page for descriptions of the -from, -to,  -cc,  and
45       -fcc switches.
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47       If the draft already exists, dist will ask you as to the disposition of
48       the draft.  A reply of quit will abort dist, leaving the draft  intact;
49       replace will replace the existing draft with a blank skeleton; and list
50       will display the draft.
51
52       Only those addresses in “Resent-To:”, “Resent-cc:”,  and  “Resent-Bcc:
53       will  be  sent.   Also,  a  “Resent-Fcc:  folder”  will be honored (see
54       send(1)).   Note  that  with  dist,  the  draft  should  contain   only
55Resent-xxx:”  fields  and  no  body.   The headers and the body of the
56       original message are copied to the draft when the message is sent.  Use
57       care in constructing the headers for the redistribution.
58
59       Because  the  draft  is minimal, the prompter(1) editor is quite useful
60       with dist.
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62       If the -annotate switch is given, the  message being  distributed  will
63       be annotated with the lines:
64              Resent: date
65              Resent: addrs
66       where each address list contains as many lines as required.  This anno‐
67       tation will be done only if the message is sent directly from dist.  If
68       the  message is not sent immediately from dist, “comp -use” may be used
69       to re-edit and send the constructed message, but the annotations  won't
70       take  place.   Normally  annotations are done in place in order to pre‐
71       serve any links to the message.  You may use the -noinplace  switch  to
72       change this.
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74       See  comp(1)  for  a  description  of the -editor and -noedit switches.
75       Note that while in the editor, with -atfile and if the  current  direc‐
76       tory  is writable, the message being resent is available through a link
77       named “@” (assuming the default whatnowproc).  In addition, the  actual
78       pathname of the message is stored in the environment variable $editalt,
79       and the pathname of the folder containing the message is stored in  the
80       environment  variable  $mhfolder.  The creation of the “@” file is con‐
81       trolled via the -atfile and -noatfile options.
82
83       The -draftfolder +folder and -draftmessage msg switches invoke the  nmh
84       draft  folder  facility.   This is an advanced (and highly useful) fea‐
85       ture.  Consult the mh-draft(5) man page for more information.
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87       Upon exiting from the editor, dist will  invoke  the  whatnow  program.
88       See  whatnow(1)  for a discussion of available options.  The invocation
89       of this program can be inhibited by using  the  -nowhatnowproc  switch.
90       (In  fact,  it  is  the  whatnow program which starts the initial edit.
91       Hence, -nowhatnowproc will prevent any edit from occurring.)
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FILES

94       /etc/nmh/distcomps  The default message skeleton.
95       <mh-dir>/distcomps  The user's message skeleton.
96       $HOME/.mh_profile   The user's profile.
97       <mh-dir>/draft      The draft file.
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PROFILE COMPONENTS

100       Path:               To determine the user's nmh directory.
101       Current-Folder:     To find the default current folder.
102       Draft-Folder:       To find the default draft-folder.
103       Editor:             To override the default editor.
104       fileproc:           Program to refile the message.
105       whatnowproc:        Program to ask the “What now?” questions.
106

SEE ALSO

108       comp(1), forw(1), prompter(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1)
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DEFAULTS

111       +folder             The current folder.
112       msg                 The current message.
113       -noannotate
114       -nodraftfolder
115       -inplace
116       -noatfile
117

CONTEXT

119       If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.   The  message
120       distributed will become the current message.
121

HISTORY

123       dist  originally  used headers of the form “Distribute-xxx:” instead of
124Resent-xxx:”.  In order to conform with the  ARPA  Internet  standard,
125       RFC 822, the “Resent-xxx:” form is now used.  dist will recognize “Dis‐
126       tribute-xxx:”  type  headers  and   automatically   convert   them   to
127Resent-xxx:”.
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BUGS

130       dist does not rigorously check the message being distributed for adher‐
131       ence to the transport standard, but post called by send does.  The post
132       program  will  balk  (and rightly so) at poorly formatted messages, and
133       dist won't correct things for you.
134
135       If whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp uses a built-in whatnow,  it  does
136       not  actually  run  the whatnow program.  Hence, if you define your own
137       whatnowproc, don't call it whatnow since comp won't run it.
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141nmh-1.7.1                         2012-12-04                           DIST(1)
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